Improvement in locks for securing stamps tjpon barrels



dltiieii tatre JOSEPH L. HARLEY, ori-BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

Letters,Patentv No. 107,176, dated September 6, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR SECURINQ- STAMPS UPON BARRELSK.

The Schedule referred to inthese Letters Patent and rnaking part ofthe salire.

ATo all I'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. HARLEY, ot' Balti more city, in the county of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain -lmpi'oyementsin Locks for Securing Stamps upon Barrels, dac., of which the`t'ollcwing is a specitication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates tov locks for securing ievenue-stainpsto beer-barrels,l and consists in constructing a case by casting-the, saine entire, or by unit-ing two'concentric cylindiical rings of different diameters,

i so as to forni an annular, covered space between them, and in connecting to the upper side of this case a plate, by means ot' a novel locking device,.in suoli manner that a revenue-stamp may be interposed and secured.-

' ln the drawing- Figure l is a perspective view of my device. Figure 2 is aperspective view ot' its key. Figure 3 is atop plan view, with the plate removed.

Figure 4^ is a plan view of the underside of the plate, showing the catches attached thereto. in perspective.

1 Figure 5 is a planI view-,showing the operation of the key.

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-section on thclne x 1x oftig.41.

lhe'object ot this invention is to prevent frauds on the revenues ot' the government by the improper removal of the revenue-stamps from beer-barrels.

11i constructing this loi-king device, a case is iliade of two cylindrical rings, A and B,"ot' any size suitable loi the purpose, one of them being provided with a iiange, C, of the requisite width to coveiithe space interveningbetween these rings, when arrangedaiid united concentrically, as shown in tigs. 3 and 4ti.

Between these rings, andl tothe side. ot' the inner one, three or more iiat or leaf-springs, a, are/attached at one end, their opposite or tiee ends, b, being bent at right angles, or nearly so, to their length, so as to i'orm an `elbow,'and -project through and extend a short distance within the inner ring, and immediately under Yhorizontal guard-plates, D, as clearly shown in tig. 3.

Upon the upper side ofthe cylindrical rings A and B thus constructed, and provided with the springs a, is secured a plate, E,- by -nieans of three or more catches, d, attached to itsf under side, which are arranged so as to enter holes, e, in the flange C, and engage or lock with the springs a, as shown'in iig. 6.

The form-ot' these catches is clearly shown in lig. 4.

This plate lE is made with a lcentral opening, F, the

edges ot' which may he cnt in either of the forms shown in tig. 4, or in others of a similar kind for a purpose hereinafter explained.

'.lhe opening F-is soshaped as to-admit a key, G, having its lower end provided with eccentric-arins or other.

projections, j, as clearly shown in iig. 2, so shaped jthat, when the keyis turned, they will press the springs a back, and release the catches d ofthe plate E, as clearly shown in iig. 5.

I n-operating this locking device for securing stamps, the case L, consisting ot' the cylindrical rings A and B, is fastened to a barrel, H, about its spigot-hole, I,

as shown in figs. 1 and 2. 'A revenue-stainp, J, is

then placed thereon, and held in position temporarily bythe pins g, or other suitable device, as shown in fig. (i. The plate E is then placed over the stamp, its catches d passing through it, and engaging or locking with the Asprings a.

The stamp, wbeii thus secured, it willgic seen, can only be released f by removing the plate' F, and this cannot be ilonewithout forcing back the springs a, and thus iirst releasing the catches d.

When the spigot is inserted, the stamp is broken, and, of course, canceled, and,.when the spigot is removed, the key can he used tor releasing the plate,

and inserting another stamp.

The object of the guard-'plates D is to prevent access to the ends of the springs a. by passing a small, line instrument. through the stamp, for the pui-posent` pressing the springs back, and releasing -the stamp.

vStamps that are only slightly piinctured, it is found,

cau be` repaired so asto escape detection.

The object ot the-irregularinn'er edge of the central opening of the plate E is to jpi'eventany smooth cutting ot' the stainpaloug its. edge iininediateiy over the ends ot the springs c, as-siicli cuttings would allow-access to the ends of the springs, and could also be so repaired as to escape detection.

It is obvious that the case L, instead of being constructed of separat-e rings, as herein described, may be cast iir one piece, and. that, in practice, they will be so constructed, since, in this way, they can be made quicker and cheaper, and more readily than in any Having thus described `my invention,

What I claiin-i's- 1. A stamp-holder for harrels,fconsisting of 'the case L and plate E, the latter being provided with aseries of catches, d, to engage \vith a corresponding series of springs, c, arranged -witliin the former, said springs having their free ends projecting through vits inner side, so as to and arranged substantially as described.

2. In combina-tion with the springs a,'the guard- .plate D and the plate E, when provided with. an irregularly-shaped o r groved-edge, the whole constructed and arranged substantially as herein shown and de-` scribed.

JOS. L.-

vWitnesses:

PHIL. T. DODGE, H. AB. MUM.

be. actuated by a key, all constructed 

